(Newser)
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Breaking science news: Your belly button is kinda gross. A new study, the amusingly named Belly Button Biodiversity project, found more than 1,400 strains of bacteria in 95 navel swab samples, the Washington Post reports. Of those, 662 couldn't be classified to a family—suggesting those microbes are "new to science," a team leader says.

It may sound disturbing, but the project just illustrates our ignorance when it comes to microbial diversity, the team leader adds: Biologists haven't done enough sampling in enough habitats, which is why so many new microbes are being seen. The phenomenon is similar to European explorers seeing African wildlife such as elephants, which now seem common, for the very first time.

We know more about distant galaxies than our own belly buttons. Strange that no one has done this before.

JoeQ

Jul 9, 2011 9:33 AM CDT

662 new strains of bacteria? I'm omphaloskeptical.

danicaB

Jul 7, 2011 12:22 AM CDT

They link us to food in the womb, but tend to grow up to be quite attractive. The reality is that not everyone goes in there with soap, baby oil and Q-Tips. Whether you treat it sweet or lay it low, researchers at the Belly button Biodiversity project would like you to take notice of your navel, especially the microbes that may reside. It's a true tale about divergent evolution, and it's really good. New belly button bacteria furthers study of evolution as it is called bacterial nature reserve. Cleaning habits – or lack thereof – have made amazing discoveries possible. As few people wash their belly buttons with soap, the chance for microbial growth increases. Is was suggested that there may be links between belly button bacteria and microbes that have previously only been found on the deep ocean floor. This opens entirely new avenues of inquiry within the study of divergent evolution, the accumulation of differences between groups which can lead to the formation of new species.